ANAHEIM – Defenseman Josh Manson had the puck behind the Ducks’ net in the opening minutes of the second period Friday at Honda Center. Then, just as quickly, he lost it. Jaromir Jagr, the Florida Panthers’ ageless wonder, wanted it, so he swiped it.
Jagr skated to the front of the net, shifted the puck from his backhand to his forehand and with the apparent ease of a seasoned magician, he beat goaltender John Gibson for the tiebreaking goal, and his 1,901st NHL point, in the Panthers’ 4-1 victory.
It was highlight-reel stuff, to be sure. The 45-year-old Jagr hardly celebrated, though.
Manson, 20 years younger, skated to the bench and sat down, looking as if someone had stolen his lunch money, which was more or less what Jagr had done to him, and to the Ducks. Jagr gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead that filled them with confidence.
“He showed what kind of player he is on that goal,” said left wing Andrew Cogliano, who scored the Ducks’ lone goal. “A lot of guys would have taken a shot and maybe rushed themselves. He made a good play. You give him an opportunity like that and he’s going to make you pay.”
The Ducks started with good intentions, showing no signs of the heavy legs that sometimes plague teams in their homecoming after an extended trip like their recent six-game trek. They had plenty of jump in the opening minutes against Florida and carried the play for extended stretches.
After a scoreless first period, the Ducks took a 1-0 lead on Cogliano’s shorthanded goal 2:45 into the second. Cogliano latched on to an outlet pass from Logan Shaw and raced ahead of the retreating Panthers to beat goalie James Reimer for his 12th goal of the season.
The Ducks’ lead didn’t last. Neither did their momentum.
Colton Sceviour tied it for the Panthers at 4:18.
Jagr worked his magic to make it 2-1 at 6:58.
Aaron Ekblad’s power-play goal pushed the Florida lead to 3-1 at 10:08.
“Turnovers,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “We turned the puck over way too many times. We fed their offense with our inability to execute with the puck. They turned the game in their favor by us gifting them the puck. They shot the puck and created havoc in front of our net.”
Gibson, who blanked the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, appeared to be fighting the puck. The defensive play in front of him was lacking in the second period after a credible opening period. Gibson was screened on the first and third goals and had no chance to stop Jagr.
“This is the time of the year the games are going to be tougher,” Carlyle said. “This is the time of the year that the points are at a premium. We know that. If you’re going to make a run, a push for the playoffs, you’re going to have to bring your ‘A game.’ We didn’t have anywhere near our ‘A game.’”
The Ducks went into the game with a 20-1-1 record when leading after two periods.
They were only 2-16-7 when trailing after two, however.
The Ducks started the third with a strong push, but misfired on a power play. Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf tried to inject more life into his teammates by attempting to goad Ekblad into a fight. Ekblad wanted no part of it and Getzlaf and Florida’s Keith Yandle ended up with slashing minors.
A more physical game would have suited the Ducks, but the Panthers were more interested in a no-hitter.
Florida’s finesse game, aided by Jagr’s larceny, was the big winner Friday.
Contact the writer: eteaford@scng.com
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